Migration from the Russian north during the transition period

Abstract

One unintended consequence of Russia's transition to a market economy has been a massive out-migration from the Northern periphery. The major causes of this out-migration have been price liberalization which make the cost of fuel, food, and other consumer goods in the North more expensive; the fiscal decentralization which shifted the burden of local revenue and expenditure responsibility to Northern regions; and a shift in Russia's approach to the development of its Arctic and sub-arctic regions. Among reasons given for leaving by recent migrants from the North included the fact that they always viewed their stay in north as temporary and that it had become senseless to stay there. The study makes a conceptual comparison between the Northern development strategy that existed during Soviet period and that which is evolving under market conditions. Then the Russian North and other Northern regions elsewhere in the world are compared. The major section examines patterns of migration in the Russian North during the transition period beginning, and emphasizes the Northern development strategy existing during the Soviet period. Next are described the levels, direction, age-sex composition, educational, occupational characteristics, and mechanisms of Northern migration trends. Analysis is then done of Northern migration trends in order to determine the causes of this mass migration. The final section attempts to determine the possible future levels of migration from the North.

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